


Heartless

by Dream_Wreaver



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, It will not make sense if you haven't seen the new episodes, One-sided pining, Spoilers, Spoilers for the Queen's Battle, seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-07-27 05:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16212623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dream_Wreaver/pseuds/Dream_Wreaver
Summary: Nathalie often wondered if she might be able to return to her namesake... the answer doesn't seem so clear.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> O for a muse of fire, and that's exactly what I got. God the shipping fodder was strong in these episodes. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

It was funny, sometimes, how much a name could influence someone’s destiny. How a name became emblematic of a type of personality, a character in and of itself. Was a name a gift? Or a curse? Nathalie had often wondered that, in the seldom idle moments of introspection she allowed herself. She had been a credit to her name, going against the stereotype of over emotional women in business. Not that she didn’t think women were entitled to their emotions, she simply didn’t believe emotions had any place in business. Sentimentality was a weakness to be exploited by people far more callous than you.

And then, she fell in love. How stupid could one get? Falling in love with one’s own employer? It was rule number one; well, rule number two. Rule number one was never sleep with your boss. But she had lost all connection with her namesake that day. If she was asked, Nathalie couldn’t put a finger on when it had happened. It certainly hadn’t been when Emilie had been around. Nathalie had thought Gabriel an attractive man, from an aesthetic point of view, certainly; but she didn’t get involved with married men, especially not married men as happy as Gabriel had been.

No, it had been after the tragedy. It had to have been. To see so proud a man broken as Gabriel had been, it had stirred something within her. It hadn’t been love, not at the time, it had merely been a desire to help, to stop the sorrow that began to haunt him and hang on his frame. When he had decided to use Nooroo, Nathalie had said nothing. She hadn’t approved, but they’d exhausted their options at that point. And somehow, over the course of time, of keeping his secret, she began to dread the day that Emilie might be returned. Nathalie was the closest person to him, and maybe she was selfish for enjoying just how much he depended on her and trusted her. Her heart began to beat erratically when thinking of him, the rare times he smiled even if it wasn’t completely genuine. She wanted to see him happy, and then came the realization that she wanted to be the one to  _ make _ him happy

But she could never say that. Not to him, he was still grieving, even now. He loved Emilie, he truly loved her. Nathalie couldn’t help but wonder if the woman had even had a clue of just how  _ lucky _ she was. Her own feelings were beginning to taint the memories she had of the Madame, who had never treated her with anything other than a kind word and a respectful demeanor. It was twisting her insides up, and Nathalie hated herself. She was turning into a hideous jealous monster. She hated that she was beginning to hate Emilie. Emilie had done nothing wrong other than fall in love with a man who loved her more than anything else. Which meant that when she had unfortunately stopped living -what state of life she was in right now in that special casket of Gabriel’s she wasn’t certain- he couldn’t see past his own grief and desire to return to the past.

And wasn’t that the kicker? Gabriel was suffering from something that Nathalie liked to call Gatsby syndrome; an obsessive desire to return to the past, to the point of self-destruction. His temporary relinquishment of Nooroo had given her hope that he wasn’t yet too far gone, but just as quickly as it had come, he’d relapsed. Maybe he could benefit from talking with someone, but Nathalie wasn’t a psychiatrist and even if she could find the best one in the city Gabriel couldn’t be open and honest with them. She knew enough to know that a psychiatrist could and would only break the vow of confidentiality if their patient posed a threat to themselves or others. It was no question that Gabriel’s actions fit the bill. But between her own feelings and her lack of training Nathalie was in no position to fill that role either.

She wished she could go back to being exactly like her namesake. Cold, detached,  _ heartless _ . But her heart had been stolen from her, and no matter how much it hurt she couldn’t get it back. To do so she would have to admit everything to him. She wasn’t strong enough, not to face his rejection even while knowing it was coming, not to be told that she could no longer work for him, not have to leave Adrien to his father. But what else could she do? For someone who was supposed to be heartless, her heart seemed to be the source of all her pain lately.

“Nathalie?” Adrien had come down from his room and caught her moment of weakness outside Gabriel’s door.

“Oh,” as quick as she could she stepped away from the door, “Adrien, what can I do for you?”

The blond tilted his head at her, eyes searching. He looked so much like his mother, it hurt, “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Me?” Nathalie brushed an imaginary stray hair back behind her ear and brushed down her suit, “I’m fine. Never better. Was there something you needed?”

“You look…” Adrien trailed off a moment, “Sad,” he said before shaking his head, “No, no that’s not right. You look…” again he paused as if trying to read her emotions even as Nathalie wrestled to shove them back in the closet she normally kept them in, “Heartbroken.”

“Heartbroken?” Nathalie faux-scoffed, “Adrien I have no time for a heart, nor for said heart to break.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Adrien asked.

“I couldn’t dump any emotional problems of mine -assuming I  _ had _ any of course- on a child. Least of all the child of my employer,” you know, the child of the man she was in love with and the woman he loved to the point of  _ neglecting _ said child.

“Maybe you shouldn’t,” Adrien admitted, “But I heard just talking to someone about it can help, even if I can’t. You’ve done so much for me and Father. You take care of us, but Nathalie, who takes care of you? Who’s there for you when  _ you _ need it? Can’t I be that, even for a moment?” Can’t  _ I _ be enough, for a moment? That was the unspoken question in his eyes. And maybe she was too emotionally drained to think clearly, but she’d had quite enough of the adults in Paris disappointing their children for one day.

So she relented with a sigh, “I… I guess it wouldn’t hurt. But you must promise to keep it a secret. You can’t tell anyone, not even your father.”  _ Especially _ not your father, she thought to yourself. You may be a bright boy Adrien, but you can be wonderfully naive and oblivious. Gabriel’s sharper than that, and if he hears I won’t be able to lie convincingly enough to escape his scrutiny.

They retreated to Adrien’s room. Well, room was a technical definition. Perhaps cage would have been a better fitting word for it. There was a ton of entertainment, a way to keep occupied, but the windows looked more like the bars of a cell. And as they cast their long shadows across the floor Nathalie couldn’t help but feeling trapped. No wonder Adrien found as many ways to sneak out as he could. They took a seat on the couch, staring out at the Parisian skyline.

“So,” Adrien began almost conversationally, “Who’s the problem?”

“Who? No one, nothing’s the problem,” Nathalie responded automatically, used to putting her problems aside when faced with others.

“Nathalie,” Adrien cajoled, “You can tell me.”

“I suppose I’m just… pining is all,” Nathalie mused.

“Pining, over who?”

“No one important,” Nathalie dismissed, “I think I just have bad taste in partners. It’s a crush, a childish crush. I’m sure given enough time it’ll pass.”

“Well, what if it’s not?” Adrien asked, “What if you told this person how you feel?”

“I could never do that,” Nathalie laughed, “I’m not brave enough to.”

“Why not?” Adrien asked, “You’re one of the only people who can stand up to Father, you even convinced him to let me go to school. You’re one of the strongest people I know, how could you say something like that?”

“Believe me Adrien,” Nathalie replied, “If confessing to this guy was even  _ half _ as easy as convincing your father of anything I would have done it by now. But… things aren’t so simple.”

“Why?” Adrien pressed, “Does he like someone else already?”

“Very much so,” Nathalie nodded, “I could go so far as to say he loves her, a lot. I can’t… I couldn’t be so selfish as to say something.”

“Well,” Adrien sighed, “I know exactly how you feel.”

“What?” Nathalie chuckled, “Were you finally able to confess to Ladybug?”

“Yes I- wait,” Adrien turned to her, “How did you know about that?”

“You mean besides all the Ladybug merchandise you collect, the fact that the Ladyblog is your default homepage on your computer, and that you go starry-eyed whenever her name is mentioned?” at his blush she laughed again, more gently this time, and put a hand on his shoulder, “I’ve seen the way you look at her Adrien. It’s the same way your father would look at your mother.”

“They really loved each other, didn’t they?” Adrien asked, “I just wonder what could have happened to make mom disappear like she did.”

“Whatever happened to her, I don’t think it was something she wanted. She would never abandon you, or your father,” Nathalie replied carefully, “She loved you both very much.”

“Thanks Nathalie,” Adrien replied, one of his genuine smiles on display for her, “But we’re not here to talk about me.”

“There isn’t much point in turning the conversation in my direction either,” Nathalie shrugged, “I’m not going to do anything, except bite my tongue and hope these feelings will pass.”

“Why not?”

“When you l-” she stumbled for a second, “like, someone, you would do anything to see them smile. You feel their happiness, as if its your own. And, no matter what happens, you’ll be happy for them; even if it means that the happiness they end up finding isn’t with you.”

“But- doesn’t that hurt?” Adrien asked.

“Very much so,” Nathalie said with a smile, “But that’s the thing about love, in any intensity. If it’s real, then it isn’t based on them being with you. It’s based on them being happy. Do you know this old adage? ‘If you love something, set it free. If it returns to you, it is yours’.”

“What does it mean?”

“It means that true love isn’t based on whether or not the person is with you. Nor is it contingent upon someone loving you back. True love means that you care enough about someone else’s happiness that it means letting them go, no matter how much it hurts you. And, if they still return after you let them go, then that love is yours.”

“Do you love this man?” Adrien asked her.

“I…” Nathalie trailed off, “I think I could,” she at last answered, as honestly as she could, “I think that- when he lets people in, he’s someone worthy of being loved. I’ve, seen him, in situations that he would never allow anyone else to. It shows how much he trusts me, that he’s willing to be so vulnerable around me. And when I see it, all I want is to see him smile again. That I would do anything to see him smile again. And yet…” she trailed off.

“And yet?” Adrien prompted.

“And yet,” Nathalie continued, “As much as I want to see him smile… as much as I tell myself his happiness is mine. There’s that little part of me that wants… well, that wants to be the  _ reason _ he smiles again. To be-”

“Enough?” Adrien asked knowingly.

And Nathalie was suddenly struck by just how mature Adrien was becoming now that he was finally allowed to experience life instead of just watching it pass him by. Wordlessly she nodded.

“I’ve felt like that a lot since mom disappeared,” Adrien admitted, “I want Father to smile again. I want to be the reason he  _ can _ I just,” and here he deflated a little bit, “I’m not enough.”

“Oh Adrien that’s not it at all,” Nathalie put her arms around him, “Your father is… different than you. He’s the type that likes to lick his wounds in private. I’ve tried telling him that it’s not the right way to deal with all this. I know you’re both grieving, and you should be able to grieve together. But,” she shrugged, “well, you know how he can be. It’s a miracle I got him to reconsider Christmas.”

“I never did thank you for all that, did I Nathalie?” Adrien asked, “You’ve really been there when we’ve needed you. I don’t know what we would do if you were gone.”

And if she had ever had any reason to leave her job, to escape Gabriel and all the heartbreak being near him brought her, it crumbled in the face of those words. As much as Gabriel relied on her, as much as he trusted her, as angry as he would have been if she left and as much as Nathalie’s heart broke every time she watched him come back from visiting Emilie; she just couldn’t abandon Adrien. He’d lost his mother already, he was halfway there to losing his father if Gabriel couldn’t be stopped, Nathalie couldn’t deal that same blow a third time.

“Adrien,” she said, “I promise that I will do everything in my power to stay as long as I can, as long as you need me.”

And then, she violated a major personal rule. She took Adrien in her arms, and hugged him. He seemed shocked, as much as he’d been when his father had done the same earlier that day. But after a moment, he reciprocated, hugging her tightly and burying his head in the juncture between her neck and her shoulder.

Aware that her shift was now long past over and she should probably head back home she slowly let go. Adrien seemed a little more reluctant to, since he’d likely not hugged a female parental figure like this in a long, long time. But at last he let go, and Nathalie stood to exit the room.

“I’ll be back tomorrow morning with your schedule,” she said as businesslike as possible.

“Thanks,” Adrien replied, “And Nathalie?” he called as she continued walking through the door.

She paused and turned around, “Yes?”

“If that guy doesn’t realize how amazing you are, then he’s an idiot.”

She let out a small breath of laughter at his attempt to cheer her up, and gave him a smile, “I could say the same for Ladybug and you,” she replied, “Goodnight Adrien.”

“Goodnight Nathalie,”

When she at last exited the room Plagg came out of his hiding spot, “Well if that wasn’t the cheesiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. What are you? A Hallmark card?”

“I was just trying to cheer her up Plagg,” Adrien replied, “Nathalie does so much for Father and I, isn’t it natural to want to help her out when she needed someone?”

“Too bad it wasn’t the guy she  _ really _ wanted,” Plagg said as he gulped down another block of camembert.

“She seemed happy it was me, even though you may have a point,” Adrien admitted, “Wonder who this mystery guy of hers is…”

“Like that’s hard to figure out,” Plagg snorted.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, isn’t it obvious? It’s totally your dad!”

“Father?” Adrien blinked, “You’re kidding right?”

“Well it makes a lot of sense doesn’t it?” Plagg parried, “He’s the one she spends the most time with afterall.”

“That’s impossible,” Adrien waved it off, “Nathalie said the one she like already… had… someone…” he trailed off as he remembered that Nathalie said her crush had someone he loved very much. She  _ didn’t _ specify if that person was still around or not. And there was a lot of evidence pointing to how much his father still loved his mother even now, a year after her disappearance.

The more Adrien thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make. Nathalie  _ did _ spend a good deal of time with his father. His father trusted Nathalie more than anyone nowadays, so of course he might be able to trust himself to be vulnerable around her. Nathalie had what was likely the only experience with his father being sad. Adrien knew that when Father got maudlin he locked himself away, with Nathalie to stand guard at the door. Now the question was, if his father was the one Nathalie like, how did Adrien feel about that?

He supposed his own feelings were a moot point in the grand scheme of things. Nathalie had already told him she didn’t plan on saying a word to his father. Even though the fact that she had to carry those feelings while his father went blindly chasing after mom’s shadow hurt her immensely. Nathalie had to be superhuman, because Adrien was certain if he’d had to deal with those feelings Hawkmoth would have already made a victim out of him by now. And yet, Nathalie kept a calm mind and a cool head. She really was an amazing woman.

And maybe, just maybe, she was exactly what his father needed. Not right now, Nathalie had admitted that both he and his father were still grieving. But maybe, if he could help his father get past all that, he could see how wonderful Nathalie was. Maybe, between the two of them, they could help his father smile again. No matter how much Adrien missed his mom, and he missed her a lot, there was no way she was coming back. Master Fu had told him that when combined, his and Ladybug’s Miraculous could wield enough power to grant a reality altering wish. But, this wish would not come without a hefty price. He could never ask Ladybug to do that, whether they knew each other’s identities or not. He couldn’t take the risk of having someone else lose their mother in order to bring his back.

“Gross isn’t it?” Plagg asked, interrupting his thought process.

“A little,” Adrien admitted, because it was weird and gross to think about the love life of one’s parent, “But as much as it could be.”

“You’re such a sap,” Plagg complained.

Adrien shrugged, “I guess I just believe in happily ever after,”

“You think that’s a happy ever after waiting to happen?” his Kwami asked in disbelief.

“Maybe,” Adrien replied, “But what’s a good fairy tale without some…  _ divine _ intervention?”

Plagg groaned, “I’m not playing fairy godmother for those two!” he protested, folding his arms and turning away, “Nu-uh, no way, not happening.”

“Not even for a big wheel of Camembert?” Adrien teased,

“Well…” Plagg turned around, “How big were you thinking?”

“As big as I can afford,” Adrien promised.

Plagg sighed, but relented, “Alright,” he agreed, “What’s the plan?”

“Well?” Adrien grinned, a mischievous light flaring in his eyes. “What do black cats do best?”

“Well obviously,” Plagg met his smile with a knowing smirk of his own as he replied, “they cause chaos.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help myself, those clips give me such feels and inspiration. Also, slight warning that there is mentions of a certain biological process, for the sake of a joke at Gabe's expense. Just wanted to put that out there in case anyone's incredibly squeamish about blood. Alright, enjoy

After the incident with Style Queen, Master Fu had accompanied his Kwami back during the few hour delay while the show got itself back on track. There had been plenty of footage, as well as a catch up on what he had missed while he was a glitter statue. Though he resented being painted as incredibly irresponsible miraculous holder in front of Ladybug, he recognized the necessity. Ladybug still wanted to keep their identities a secret, and from all footage Style Queen had only glitterized people at the show, or those who got in her way. There was a list of names for his father’s fashion week event, it would be too easy to narrow down. They couldn’t risk knowing each other’s identities, especially since Chloe’s akumatization into Queen Wasp proved that neither of them were safe were they to let their emotions get the better of them.

Maybe at another point, where not knowing would be more dangerous than knowing, but not now. At any rate, the footage had shown a large mushroom cloud of destruction emanating from the Eiffel Tower, it had caused breakage a fair distance away. Adrien had asked Master Fu about it and he explained that part of the reason the Kwami were contained within the jewels was that they were too powerful on their own. When they formed a contract with their chosen wielder, said wielder acted as a conduit and filter for their raw power. In essence, if the Kwami was a missile, the chosen was the targeting system which helped it take aim. While Plagg’s disobedience in this instance had really helped, Master Fu had stressed the importance of never letting the Kwami do something so reckless again. But just because Plagg was banned, didn’t mean Chat Noir was.

The problem with the power of destruction was that it pretty much granted the same effect. It wasn’t like Ladybug’s Lucky Charm, which summoned one singular item, but differentiated it based on the needs of the situation. Which meant that a delicate touch was needed, since it could easily be traced back to him. Still, finding a way to cause chaos in Nathalie’s apartment shouldn’t have been  _ that _ hard. It really wasn’t. The luxury of the apartments covered up the antiquity of the construction. The pipes would have needed to have been replaced soon anyways, if anything Chat had done them all a service. The flood had caused a power outage, and in the midst of the chaos he’d been able to slip away. Did he feel bad for the property damage he’d caused? Slightly, but if Adrien knew his father -a sentiment he wasn’t entirely sure was accurate- then Nathalie would need to be more everpresent than ever if he was going to notice her as anything other than an assistant.

When Nathalie showed up to work the next day it was with a dour expression on her face. Adrien had to work incredibly hard to keep his smug grin off his face, especially as he eavesdropped on her and his father.

“Nathalie, you look terrible, what happened?” ah yes, his father, always one for compliments.

“Some water pipes burst in my apartment complex last night. The flood caused a slew of electrical problems and because my devices were dead and charging last night I couldn’t book a hotel.”

“So what did you do?”

“I managed to find a phone and call Andre Bourgeois. Always eager to be in your good graces he pulled a couple of strings and got me in. I hope you know I’ll be using it as a work related expense.”

“Now why would you do that?”

“Do you have a better idea of where I might stay otherwise?”

Adrien crossed his fingers. Come on Father, pick up the hint.

“No, no,” Gabriel could be heard replying, “By all means then. So why the exhaustion?”

“How would you like to be woken up at an ungodly hour by the local authorities, have to scamper around trying to find lodging and settle in at an even later hour just to get up a short time later for work? I can assure you you’d look about as good as I do right now. Not to mention, I don’t do well sleeping in different places on the first night anyways.”

“Will you be able to do your work?”

“I’ve accomplished more work on less sleep sir,” she reminded him, “I should be fine.”

“If you need to take an extended break later today, feel free to do so,” Gabriel informed her, “I’d hate to see you make a stupid mistake because you’re not taking care of yourself.”

“Nice to know you care sir,” Nathalie replied flatly, “I feel the love, I really, really do.”

“Comedy doesn’t suit you Nathalie,” Gabriel parried, “Now come, we have a great deal to do today.”

Adrien quickly stole away from the door as he heard their approaching footsteps and made it look like he’d only just come down the stairs. He tried to stifle a wince at how dead on her feet Nathalie looked. But he did allow a concerned expression to show as he asked,

“Nathalie, you look exhausted, did something happen?”

“A little bit of housing trouble last night Adrien,” Nathalie replied, “It’s been sorted though so don’t worry.”

“Are you sure?” Adrien pressed, doing his best to look unconvinced -which wasn’t hard all things considered, “I mean, you could always move in here with us.”

“Pardon?” the adults asked in unison.

“I mean,” Adrien shrugged, “You practically live here anyways,” he reasoned, “And it isn’t as though we don’t have the space. I’d…” he made a point of scuffing his shoe against the polished floor, “I’d actually like having someone around more often. It would make the place seem less empty.”

“I- well I… um,” Nathalie looked to her employer, “Sir? Your input on this would be much appreciated.”

As usual Gabriel seemed unaffected by everything and everyone. But his eyes did take on a slightly pensive gleam, as if he were thinking things over carefully. At last he replied, “If Adrien is so adamant about it I don’t see the harm. It would save you a commute, and the bills, write off or no.”

“Okay then…” Nathalie replied, a little uneasy with how quickly and easily this had all seemed to happen, “I’ll call Andre Bourgeois and have my few things sent over. I suppose I’ll have to see if I can get anything else out of my apartment…”

“What could you possibly need from there?” Gabriel asked.

“My clothes, for one thing sir,” Nathalie deadpanned, “And a few personal items if I can grab them.”

“I have several walk in closets filled with ready to wear garments you can choose from,” Gabriel replied, “You can wear those while you’re here.”

“How nice of you to assume you know my measurements sir,” Nathalie couldn’t help but retort, lack of sleep damaging her filter, or her sense of self-preservation, “And I assume you also carry the type of undergarments I like to wear beneath my clothes as well as items for ahem,” she coughed into her hand, “ _ That _ time of the month?”

Gabriel sent a perusing glance down her form before he could help himself, “Yes, I can tell just from eyeing you what your measurements are and I assure you I have clothing that will fit you. As for the other things…” he suddenly seemed to realize just what she had continued with. He cleared his own throat, “Um, well, yes uh… Why don’t you take the rest of the morning off so we can get all of that sorted out then? Good? Good,” and he abruptly turned on his heel and retreated back into his office.

Nathalie and Adrien watched him go, and then the former let out a huff of laughter, “Typical man,” she murmured with a shake of her head before turning to Adrien, “Well, I can’t say I relish the thought of moving again, but you did manage to get me the morning off, so thank you Adrien.”

“Um, Nathalie?” Adrien tilted his head to the side, “What did you mean when you said, ‘that time of the month’?”

It was then she remembered that Gabriel had kept his son so sheltered he hadn’t yet had the talk. Surely public school should have rectified that by now, but then she remembered the programme likely wouldn’t start until next year. Damn it all she did  _ not _ want to be the one explaining this to Adrien. Not this early and not while she was this sober.

“Um, it’s just…” Nathalie struggled, “Look, you know how women are supposed to be able to carry babies?”

“Yes,” Adrien replied.

“Well, there are certain biological process which make that happen. Except, if a women decides not to have a baby, that biological process cleans out and resets itself for the next opportunity. And, you know what? I am going to let you wait for someone with more training who’s better equipped to handle your questions answer them. Okay?”

Adrien blinked, “Oh, okay then…”

“And whatever you do,  _ don’t _ go asking about it in school; just… look, the program which educates you on this stuff will start next year, okay? If you think of questions try writing them down so you can look back on them later, sound good?”

“Sounds good,” Adrien nodded.

“Good, now your bodyguard should be waiting for you out front already. Have a good day at school.”

MLB

The damage only took a few weeks to repair. But, just as Adrien had  ~~ hoped ~~ suspected, the damage had caused a lot of the internal construction to be re-evaluated. The building was declared as not up to code. Which mean Nathalie would have to stay with them just a little bit longer.

The only downside to all this? It meant sneaking out as Chat Noir became a little bit harder. Apparently, Nathalie had taken his remark about someone to fill up the empty space within the halls as an indication he wanted someone to spend time with. So, she made it a point to spend time with him herself, or surprise him with a visit from one of his friends. And while Adrien appreciated the gesture, he hadn’t realized how much he relied on just his father and him being in the house when it came time to bust out for patrols. Not to mention, Plagg was starting to get irritated with having to hide all the time.

“You’ve got to figure out a way to get her off your back Adrien!” he complained, taking advantage of the rare moment of peace to float about and bask in the momentary freedom.

“It shouldn’t have been this hard to get my father to notice her!” Adrien groaned, “How could he be so completely oblivious!”

“Gee,” Plagg quipped, “I wonder if it’s a family thing,”

“What do you mean?” Adrien asked as he picked his face up from his pillow.

“Oh nothing, nothing,” Plagg waved his fingerless arm dismissively, “Well, maybe you need to work on moving past the past to get him to notice her?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, from what Nathalie said back then, part of the reason he’s been so distant is because he still misses your mom. I’m not saying he needs to forget her, but the sense I’m getting is that he’s been so upset he hasn’t been able to think of anything else  _ but _ her. She said it didn’t she? He’s still grieving?”

“Plagg, you’re right!” Adrien exclaimed, “How could I have forgotten something so important?”

“So what are you going to do?” Plagg asked, “I mean, if he’s kept it up this long it’s gonna be difficult to break him of the habit.”

“I…” Adrien began, trailing off as he came to the realization, “I have no idea.”

“Too bad, so sad,” Plagg parried, not at all sounding concerned, “Well, unless you decide to outsource some help, I guess there's nothing we can do anymore.”

“Wait, Plagg, that's a great idea!” Adrien exclaimed.

“Hold on a moment,” Plagg held up his hands, “No, no it's not. I don't  _ have _ great ideas. I'm the one who has bad ideas that are fun and destructive, not the one who comes up with good ideas, remember?”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t have a good one every now and then, right?”

“I guess…” Plagg allowed, “This better not become a habit though.”

The next day at school Adrien was talking things over with Nino.

“Whoa, hold on a second there. You’re saying that your father’s assistant Nathalie,” Adrien nodded, “Is in love with your old man,” again the model nodded, “And not only are you okay with that, you want advice on how to get them together?”

“Pretty much,” Adrien agreed.

“I, I don’t even know what to say right now,” Nino shook his head, “I’m honestly so confused.”

“Look, I get how… strange it all seems,” Adrien acquiesced, “My mom’s only been gone a year but… don’t you think if she could have come back by now she would have?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I mean,” Adrien shrugged, “Maybe she isn’t coming back because she  _ can’t _ Nino. I wish I knew for sure, because part of me will always keep hoping she’ll one day return safe and sound and everything will be like it was before, but it’s not realistic. And, I  _ like _ Nathalie. She’s always been like a second mother to me. And she’s about the only one Father will let near him these days. I think, I think she could be good for him, if he could just see how she feels.”

“I think you’re asking the wrong person man,” Nino replied, “Alya and I kind of got thrown into our relationship, remember? Neither of us had had feelings for the other until Ladybug locked us in a cage and we really started talking. Maybe you should talk to someone who would know more about unrequited love. Hey! I bet Marinette might know a thing or two about it.”

“What?” Adrien nearly laughed, “You’ve got to be kidding Nino. Marinette’s one of the most popular girls in school, and she’s amazing. How could she ever have an unrequited love?”

Nino shot him a knowing glance, “Maybe not as unrequited as I thought,” he muttered under his breath. When Adrien asked him to repeat he instead replied with, “Amazing or not, sometimes you can’t pick who you fall in love with, and the thing about that is; sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, they won’t love you back, and you can’t force it. That’s how we end up with villains like Heartbreaker or Zombizou.”

“I guess you’re right,” Adrien admitted, “Nathalie said she would never tell him, but I feel like if she saw that he was starting to get over mom, she might feel a little braver?”

“Dude,” Nino looked at him, “She’s already living in your house with you. If he hasn’t noticed her like that by now, I doubt he ever will.”

“Hey guys,” Alya greeted while Marinette stood beside her, “Whatcha talking about?”

“Adrien’s trying to set his dad up with his assistant?”

“Seriously?” Alya raised a brow, but she looked interested. Her and Marinette took their seats and turned to the boys attentively, “Details, now.”

MLB

Contrary to what Adrien thought, Gabriel’s ability to notice Nathalie in any light but a business one was not the issue. Ever since she had moved in it had been impossible and impractical to keep her to a business only box. And part of the reason was because, like him, Nathalie was a notoriously early riser. Unlike him though, her definition of comfortable sleepwear consisted of overly large, loose-fitting tops or tank tops, sometimes with a pair of shorts too short to be practical as anything other than loungewear, and sometimes not. And though she got up early, she didn’t really  _ wake up _ until she had coffee. There was one thing that should have protected her modesty, since she did make the effort of throwing on a robe. But she didn’t have the mental energy in the mornings to think of tying the sash about her waist.

And thus, every morning, Gabriel had to endure seeing runway worthy legs and the form and figure a model would envy paraded about his house. Loyal and in love with Emilie he was, but he was still just a man. And the worst part was, he couldn’t even get mad at his assistant for it. Because the state she was in before the caffeine kicked in and started her brain was akin to living dead. She wasn’t fully aware, the very first morning he’d caught her stumbling around trying to find the kitchen, and because of that she never remembered what she did. He’d asked her about it, and she honestly couldn’t tell him anything that happened before she got her drink. It was odd, but his brooch allowed him to sense any and all emotion, and he could never detect dishonesty from her.

Then again, she was a master at compartmentalizing when she was awake. Maybe she was lying, but because her emotions were stored when she worked, he could never tell. She had no emotional response to any of his accusations. It was maddening, because he wanted to believe she was doing it on purpose and tell her to knock it off. Which he had, five times already, she never remembered doing it.

And though she kept to herself when not working, the undeniable female presence within the house could not be ignored. Things were somehow lighter, less tense. Gabriel had once read that the reason two males of almost any species could never be alone in an enclosed space together was because their natural instinct to assert dominance would kick in and they’d always end up fighting. Adrien was an obedient boy, but Gabriel could always detect the desire for rebellion bubbling under his complacent facade. There was less of that now. And to be honest, while it was nice, it was also… odd. Gabriel hadn’t lived with a woman in a year, and yet it seemed completely different while also the same.

It was therefore a big surprise to him, one night, when Adrien was out on one of his rare excursions with his friends. Gabriel had been working, well- deliberating on whether to actually work or look for a new victim. A sudden sense of wanderlust came over him, and he wanted to move. So he wandered through his halls, and came across Nathalie in the living room; looking already set up to watch a movie. In her pajamas, which were this time the too big top, and with any luck, the shorts underneath it. Her hair was down, for a change, and despite the fact that he saw it every morning, her bare face caught him by surprise. It didn’t diminish her natural poise and charm, which made her more beautiful than her looks alone would have. She greatly resembled Emilie in that regard.

“Nathalie,” he spoke before he could help himself.

She jumped, face turning to meet his, “Mister Agreste, sir,” she stumbled over her words, as though without the professional trappings she wasn’t quite sure of how to address him, “I thought you would be working later and I- Well if you have need of the TV I can gladly go back to-”

“No need,” he held up a hand to cut off her rambling, “I was merely feeling a little claustrophobic in my workspace and decided to take a walk.”

“Oh,”

“Nathalie, have you been actively avoiding me?”

“What do you mean?”

“You keep to yourself when we’re done with work, why is that?”

“I was,” she bit her lip as her gaze flickered from his face to her hands and back again, “merely trying to respect your space, sir. As I’m sure you would respect mine. I haven’t forgotten I’m merely a guest, but…” she shrugged, “Somehow the thought of the small screen on my computer just didn’t seem so appealing tonight.”

“I see,” he replied, “And what is it you were going to watch?”

“I- Nothing of interest to you, I’m sure,” she quickly replied.

“You’re avoiding the question,”

“Because I value your opinion of me and I already know that if I answer directly that opinion will diminish.”

What she did in her freetime didn’t really concern him, not unless she brought someone home to the mansion without forewarning or consent, “I can assure you that whatever it is, is fine.”

After a moment, she sighed, “Fine, it’s… it’s an animated movie,” she admitted, hiding her embarrassment in her hand even though he could palpably feel it from across the room.

“And why did you think I would think less of you for admitting that?”

“Because animation is childish?”

“Now,” he corrected, “It didn’t start out that way,”

“I know,” Nathalie admitted, “And that’s why I like it. Well, that and I can’t draw to save my life. I really enjoy being able to work closely with you, because of that, and see the creative process at work.”

“You could do that with any artist off the street,”

“Any artist, perhaps, but there are a lot of artists, not many artistes.” Nathalie shifted uncomfortably for a moment, pulling the large and overly fluffy blanket she’d dragged down from her room around her shoulders. She looked so small, and young, and vulnerable, even as she added, “I should let you get back to work but; you’re welcome to join me if you like.”

“I suppose I wasn’t going to be getting much work done anyways,” he shrugged, “I don’t see why not.”

Adrien returned home later that night to find the TV idling and the two adults asleep on the couch; curled into one another with Nathalie’s blanket spread over them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Thank you so much, until next time


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not exactly romance heavy this chapter, this is gonna end up a simmer -not quite a slow burn, but not immediate fluff either. But that's what happens when you've got a kid and a wife stashed in your basement. Anyways, enjoy!

Because he was such a good person, Adrien left them exactly as they were on the couch, only gently taking off both of their glasses and leaving them on the coffee table for the next morning. And surprisingly, it was exactly the same place he found them when he woke up and headed down for the day. Funny, he knew that both his father and Nathalie were early risers, and that normally no matter how early Adrien had to wake up for anything, both of them would be up, dressed, and in the middle of multitasking by the time Adrien was even remotely conscious. Though, there was one difference between how he had left them and how he found them now. Sometime in the middle of the night, his father had slumped over to sleep on the cushions, and because Nathalie had been resting against him she had fallen after and was now curled up comfortably on his chest. It was cute… well, as cute as finding one’s parents, parent and second parent technically, curled up on the couch. There was still that small part of Adrien that wanted to wretch at the thought of his father and Nathalie -even if not with each other- dating.

Still, because he seemed to need some fodder to convince his friends further he quickly caught a picture. Making sure he slipped it into his pocket and that it was well hidden he cleared his throat.

“Father?” he prodded. Gabriel didn’t move. Apparently, while an early riser, he was not a light sleeper. It took several repeats, plus prodding on the shoulder, and a hissed rebuke to Plagg for wanting to cause some minor havoc with the furniture in order to startle them awake, before he succeeded in waking them. Well, Adrien woke his father, and when Gabriel began to wake Nathalie followed suit.

Gabriel himself looked rather embarrassed to have not only fallen asleep on the couch, but to have fallen asleep on the couch cuddled up with a woman who wasn’t his wife, and to have been caught by his own son. So parental embarrassment  _ was _ a thing, good to know.

“Adrien?” Gabriel asked through a yawn, “What… what time is it?”

“Almost time for me to head to school,” Adrien replied, “What happened here?”

“I was watching a movie, I guess I must have dozed off,” Gabriel replied.

“With Nathalie?” Adrien pushed.

“Is there something wrong with me spending time with her outside of work? She  _ does _ live here, it’s a little unavoidable.”

“Only if you try,” Adrien replied, “There’s only three of us in permanent residence, and the house is certainly big enough to hide more.”

For a moment Gabriel blanched, as though the phrase had struck an unexpected blow. But he quickly recovered, “I see.”

In the midst of this, Nathalie, true to every morning she’d woken up from a bed, slipped out and began wandering around not even half-conscious, only seeking the jolt of caffeine which would start up her systems. Except this time, there was no robe to protect her modesty. She was wandering blearily about in nothing but a shirt and hopefully whatever was under it. Gabriel and Adrien watched her go, stumbling more because her feet were used to traveling the halls from her room to the kitchen, and she didn’t seem to know where she was going.

“I-” Adrien squeaked, face bright red after seeing way more of Nathalie than he had wanted to, “Does she always wear stuff like that to bed?”

“Sometimes more,” Gabriel answered, “Sometimes less. Normally she has some modicum of forethought to put on a robe, even if it gapes open. She apparently has different standards of comfort when it comes to sleepwear. I better go make sure she gets to the kitchen in one pieces, with minimal bruising.”

He stretched and stood, trailing after her. Adrien watched, his father seemed unfazed by how late he slept in, normally unheard of, and more concerned with his new housemate. He wanted to ponder this, but a beeping from outside reminded him the Gorilla was waiting to drive him to school.

MLB

“Wait,” Nino drawled skeptically as Adrien related to him and the others the events of this morning, “You’re telling me, you caught your old man and his assistant sleeping with one another?”

“Sleeping  _ on _ one another,” Alya corrected, “Remember how important it is to have the facts straight Nino.”

“With, on, what does it matter?” Nino parried, “I don’t believe it either way.”

“Will you believe this?” Adrien asked as he pulled up the picture on his phone and showed it to them.

Alya and Nino gaped before simultaneously making exaggerated gagging noises. Marinette placed her hands over her heart, “Aww,” she said, “I think they’re kind of cute together.”

And surprisingly enough, that one little remark, the idea that someone else saw his father with someone other than his mother was cute, that was enough to cause pain. Adrien nearly dropped the phone after she said that, fumbling but managing to catch it in his lap. The other three looked concerned. Well, Alya and Nino looked concerned, Marinette looked horrified. By now he knew she had a tendency to overreact to the littlest of things, so he was quick to assure her nothing was wrong,

“No, it’s not,” Adrien waved his hands, trying to explain without directly addressing the issue, “You’re fine Marinette, it’s just- I…” he trailed off and gave up.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Alya asked.

“I mean… I guess?” Adrien shrugged, “I’m happy, to know Father has someone who cares so much for him, and for me. And Nathalie’s amazing, without a doubt- she’s the one who convinced Father to let me come to school in the first place. Which, that’s good, it means he trusts her and it means that she’s good for him, there are a lot of people who would take advantage of it. But at the same time… it’s-”

“No one said you had to be absolutely ecstatic about all this man,” Nino gently broke in, “It’s only been what, a year since your mom vanished? Give your heart some time to mourn. Why did Nathalie tell you any of this anyways?”

“I… kind of pressured her into saying it?” Adrien replied sheepishly, “After the whole Queen Wasp incident, I caught her outside the office, and she looked so sad. I wanted to help her feel better, and she didn’t even tell me who she was in love with.”

“Then how can you be sure it’s your dad?” Alya asked.

“Father keeps her so busy she doesn’t exactly have time for a social life,” Adrien answered, “Besides, she claimed she was bad at picking partners, could there be a worse choice for someone as logical as Nathalie to fall for someone still grieving a missing loved one?”

“So if she wasn’t going to say anything, and you’re uncomfortable with the idea, why are you going through all the trouble?” Marinette asked, “Not that I’m saying it’s a mistake, but…”

“I,” Adrien dropped his shoulders in defeat, “I want Father to be happy again. I know, it seems like he’s always been this way, but he was different when mom was around. When she went missing, something happened. I just want to see him smiling again, but I’m not enough.”

“Adrien,” Marinette began before she could help herself, “He’s very proud of you,”

“You think?”

“I heard him say as much, once, in passing,” Marinette quickly covered, “Maybe he just doesn’t know how to tell you himself, but I know you make him incredibly happy. But I think he just comes off as cold and distant, and that he doesn’t know how to properly convey his feelings the way a lot of us would. Y’know, my parents say that everyone has a different love language,”

“Love language?” the other three repeated skeptically.

“It means, they express love differently. Not everyone acts the way the movies would have you believe they do. And the key to a good relationship, is to figure out how people express their love. Like… would you say modeling is your passion?”

“I enjoy it, sure,” Adrien shrugged, “But I’m not sure if I would ever want to make a career out of it.”

“So why do you do it?”

“To make Father proud,” Adrien responded automatically.

“Because you love him, and that’s how you express it,” Marinette explained, “Well, maybe your father has a way of expressing his love that’s not something you would consider an expression. If you can, you should try and talk to him about it, maybe have him explain how he expresses affection. Aside from hugs, I mean.”

“That’s… actually a great idea. You’re amazing Marinette,”

Marinette blushed, and became unable to respond.

“So, are you gonna leave your dad and his assistant’s relationship alone then?” Alya asked.

“Maybe I should think of something that will take a little longer to plan?” Adrien asked, “I’d love to help Nathalie out, it’s still incredibly awkward, but… Mom’s been gone a year. If she could come back, she would have right? Maybe… maybe it’s time we start moving on?”

“Go at your own pace man,” Nino clapped him on the shoulder, “Don’t feel pressured to stop missing her.”

“I don’t think I’d stop missing her unless she came back one day,” Adrien replied, “But, just because I don’t need to stop missing her doesn’t mean I have to put my life on hold.”

“Do you think that’s what your dad is doing?” Alya asked.

“If nothing else, maybe dating Nathalie would help him get out more,” Adrien rationalized, “I mean, he made a step towards it at the fashion show. But since then he’s sequestered himself back home.”

“Alright,” Alya sighed, “Look, why don’t we sketch out a plan then? And you can act on it if you get more comfortable with the idea. No one will force you, but let us know when you’re ready to set it in motion. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,”

“Alright then,” Alya got out a spare piece of paper, “Now here’s what I’m thinking…”

MLB

In the end, it took him several weeks to work up his nerves and comfort level. Nathalie had inadvertently helped with that. She ate meals with him, and after one conversation where Adrien expressed his wish that his father would join him instead of working late all the time, he began to. Adrien didn’t know what sort of magic she had worked over him to get him to agree, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. And meals made it easier to bring up the matchmaking plan under the guise of talking about his day. 

“We’ve started a new unit in school,” Adrien said one night, about two months into Nathalie’s stay at the mansion, “About people,”

“Really?” Nathalie commented, “What about people?”

“Well…” Adrien trailed off, this had to be the most believable lie he’d ever told, and Adrien wasn’t quite certain how good of an actor he was, “It’s about relationships, and the different forms of communication people have to show affection. They asked us how our families showed affection,”

Gabriel immediately stopped eating, and only barely refrained from dropping his fork. It went unnoticed by Adrien, but not by Nathalie. Adrien continued,

“And from then on we talked about how different people communicate affection differently, and that understanding how people did so was the key to a good relationship. It just got me thinking is all, how do you two express affection?”

The way he phrased it made it sound like he was insinuating they were already a couple. Which gave them pause, Gabriel because he was wondering where his son might get such an idea and Nathalie because now she was certain opening up to him about her romantic woes had been a bad idea.

“Pardon?” His father asked, “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean…” Adrien quickly backpedaled, “I guess I never noticed how you would express affection to mom. She liked to be more… physical I guess? Hugs and pecks on the cheek and stuff like that. I guess I just never saw you do the same, and when I learned about this I wondered what you  _ did _ do. I know you loved her, I was just curious.”

“Neither your father nor I have ever been very… good with physical affection,” Nathalie quickly stepped in, “We’re… well, we’re kind of cold in that regard. I don’t think either of us means to come across in that way, but the media puts such an emphasis on physical displays of affection that people seem to think if you don’t do that you don’t care for someone. But there are certainly other ways to tell,”

“Like what?” Adrien pressed.

“Well…” Nathalie flicked her eyes over to her employer for help. He was busy doing his best to push his food around on his plate, “I can’t speak for both of us, but if I did like someone I suppose… I would be to do a lot of things I might not otherwise. I would like to think that whomever I hypothetically like would be someone who challenges me to be better. But, I haven’t been in a relationship in a long time, so I suppose the point is moot.”

“Weren’t you telling me the other month that-”

“I ended up being wrong about it,” Nathalie quickly interjected, “It wasn’t anything more than a passing fancy. You never end up being able to read your own emotions correctly without hindsight.”

“Wait, what’s all this about?” Gabriel asked his son.

“Nathalie was feeling disheartened about a crush,” Adrien answered even though Nathalie’s eyes were wide and begging him not to, “Which is ridiculous, don’t you think? Nathalie’s amazing, anyone would be lucky to have her.”

“I can’t deny she’s capable,” Gabriel replied, setting Nathalie’s heart aflutter within her chest, “But I suppose I’d hate to see her in a relationship if only because that would mean there would be less late nights I could keep her for.”

“As if I would let a relationship keep me from doing my job sir,” she shot a look at him, “Anyone who can’t understand how demanding the fashion world is, let alone my position in it, has no place dating me in the first place. I would rather be single forever than in a relationship where I’m constantly being hassled because of the career I chose.”

“You’d be too good for anyone that weak anyways,” Gabriel smirked, “Good to know your loyalty is never something I should question.”

Adrien watched this exchange and wondered if they were flirting or not. The banter was there, and the teasing expressions spoke to something perhaps deeper. But Nathalie wouldn’t have been so forlorn if she hadn’t thought his father utterly incapable of having feelings for her. It was something he resolved to ask about at the next opportunity, which just so happened to be right after dinner.

“Father?” Adrien tilted his head to the side when he heard the door to his room open and saw who appeared through it, “What are you doing here?”

“Nathalie was adamant I give you an answer to your earlier question,” Gabriel said as he sat down beside his child, “And I admit, I may have evaded the question. Do you feel I don’t show I love you son?”

“I know you love me,” Adrien replied quietly, “I know it, I can feel it in my heart. But sometimes, it doesn’t seem like you do. You’ve kept me locked up in here, and you never let me do anything fun with my friends… I know you say it’s because you can’t stand the thought of losing me like we lost mom, but, I don’t know, to me that doesn’t feel like love. I sound like the worst kid, don’t I?”

“I think you’re doing fine,” Gabriel said, softly, as though he had come to his own realization but knew it was his son who needed the reassurance now, “And maybe you’re right, maybe I’m being just a bit too strict with your freedom. Even thinking about something happening to you, the thought…” he remembered the very real times he had put his own son in danger, Style Queen only being the most recent, “I would do anything to keep you safe, even if it made you hate me. That’s what it means to be a parent,”

“Are you sure?” Adrien pressed, “Marinette’s parents don’t act like that. They were willing to move to New York to help her succeed. They would have given up everything, but they seem content to let her make her own choices.”

“You’re getting older,” Gabriel agreed, “Perhaps I’ve been treating you like the infant I first brought home instead of the young man you’re slowly becoming. I’ll think over some of the stricter rules I’ve put in place, and maybe we can discuss some… compromises given enough time.”

“I’d like that,” Adrien said, “Thank you Father.”

“You’re welcome,” Gabriel stood to exit the room but Adrien’s voice stopped him.

“And Father?”

“Yes?”

“Thank Nathalie for me too,” Adrien said, “She really is amazing,”

“She does a lot for us, yes,” Gabriel assented.

“Do you think-” Adrien quickly cut himself off, but not fast enough to keep Gabriel’s curiosity from being piqued.

“What is it son?”

“Do you think if things had been different… if you had never met mom, you might have ended up with Nathalie?”

It was a question Gabriel had ever wanted to face. Life without Emilie as it was was horrible. A life where he had never met her at all? Unfathomable. And being with Nathalie? He wasn’t sure he wanted to examine his relationship with his personal assistant. He trusted her, trusted her a lot. And because he did, he allowed her certain liberties he would never tolerate with anyone else. She knew more than anyone why he did what he did, she didn’t exactly like it, but she didn’t say a thing against him doing it.

And it wasn’t as if she wasn’t attractive. She was more Gabriel’s type than anyone else he had much contact with. Smart, beautiful, capable. The only thing she seemed to lack was warmth. But then, that might have simply been the cold veneer of professionalism. There was a shy timidity to her when they watched that movie together. And her genuine admiration of the arts spoke of another side to her he hadn’t really considered. It was something that intrigued him, but not something he decided he would necessarily persue. He’d made a promise to Emilie, and he intended to keep it. Especially now that the heroes had proven falliable, if he just concocted the most foolproof plan he would have them. And then, he would have his beloved back.

But as for Adrien’s question, “I don’t know son,” he answered honestly, “I just don’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading, I'll see you next time


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 in one day? yeah, don't get used to it. I just enjoyed this idea too much to let you wait. Bonus points if you can guess the reference. Enjoy everyone!

“Father?” Adrien asked about a week later, “Do you have Nathalie’s measurements somewhere on hand?”

“Why on earth would you need to know those?” Gabriel asked, only barely glancing up from his podium. He was doing a bit of late night work, even though he’d only shipped Nathalie out of the room about an hour ago.

“I want to help my friend Marinette out by helping her start to build a clientele,” Adrien answered, “And I wanted to get something for Nathalie to show her how much I appreciate her. Something special, something one of a kind. And I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone? And then I realized; I don’t know Nathalie’s measurements, and I want it made custom for her. I figured if anyone might know it, it’d be you.”

“And why can’t you ask her herself?”

“It would ruin the surprise?” Adrien parried, “Please Father? I just need the numbers to send to Marinette.”

“And just how planned out do you have this little surprise?” Gabriel asked, “Marinette is a student, and to create a custom dress from scratch, how much is she quoting you?”

“She said she’d give me a discount, as thanks for modeling her hat and helping to get her name out there.”

“She wouldn’t have gotten that far without any talent,” Gabriel replied, and he did mean it. Despite her stealing his grimoire, which he wasn’t all that mad about, considering it hadn’t fallen into the wrong hands in its absence, she had talent and a passion for the craft. In a few years, she would be the perfect apprentice, “But what about material? Dressline? Cut? What exactly were you hoping to have her make?”

“I thought Nathalie might do well in a nice dress,” Adrien shrugged, “I’ve seen her stare longingly at a couple when I have some free time during shoots. I asked her about it once, and she told me that she loves dresses, but with her job they’re just not practical.”

Gabriel looked at his son a moment, and sighed, “Give me Marinette’s contact details, I’ll be sure to send her the information. Additionally, you forgot to mention the type of figure Nathalie has. Measurements mean almost nothing if the shape doesn’t cause it to hang right on the frame.”

“I,” Adrien paused a second, “Of course Father, would you like to pick out a color? I was thinking maybe black or red since she wears them all the time, but-”

“No,” Gabriel murmured, more to himself than as a response, “It should be blue, a darker shade of blue, to bring out her eyes.”

Father knew Nathalie’s eyes were blue? Interesting… Adrien sent over the contact information, as well as a text to Marinette warning her of his parent’s sudden desire to have input on the dress. Marinette merely sent him a thumbs up in response. He wasn’t sure how precisely to read that, was she excited that she might get to collaborate with his dad, or was she just trying to play it cool?

Either way, when he saw them begin to video chat and light-heartedly argue over the neckline and other details Adrien didn’t quite care for, he knew his job was done. And he decided to retreat. He found Nathalie in the living room, where she could be found often nowadays when she wasn’t working. She was already dressed for comfort, in deference to the days growing shorter and colder in a soft faded top and lounge pants. Her hair was already down, Adrien liked it a lot better this way. She seemed more human that way. From the look of things she’d just set up something to watch when she noticed him.

“Oh, hello Adrien,” she greeted, “I was just about to settle down with some entertainment. Care to join me?”

Adrien shrugged, he didn’t have patrol until later. And all his homework was done. Why not?

“What are you watching?” he asked as he sat down beside her.

“Well as I’m sure you’ve noticed, autumn is starting to set in,” Nathalie replied, “I really love the season, so I often watch fall themed movies for atmosphere. I have a special favorite of mine for tonight, though I’m pretty sure you’ll like it too.”

He saw from the blackness a small image begin to swirl as gentle strains of the piano filtered through the speakers. The player, was of all things, an animated frog. And suddenly, Adrien knew exactly what they were watching.

“I didn’t know you were into this sort of thing?”

“I know,” Nathalie let out a sardonic breath of laughter, “Not very adult of me I suppose. But the moment I first saw it, I knew it would be a favorite of mine. It’s just… it’s breathtaking, don’t you think?”

Adrien stared at the screen, mesmerized by the well of atmosphere that poured out from every scene. He nodded mutely, utterly entranced by the story he had already seen a few times before. He really related to the feelings of lost and helplessness. Sometimes he felt them and he wasn’t even trapped in a strange, bizzare new land. Though, discovering the existence of magic had certainly been strange. The two hours it took to watch through the entire story was worth it, even if he did get a slight scolding from Ladybug for being late. But the calm companionable silence that had fallen over them as they watched was addictive, he missed the quiet moments like this. The ones where words didn’t need to be said, because all of it could be conveyed through nothing more than silence. Nowadays, it felt like the only quiet in the house was because there was no one in it. But, that was changing, with Nathalie here, and her attempts to help repair the rift that had formed between him and his father, things were slowly but surely getting better.

Well, he hoped. Really compared to the time that had been spent apart and in pain in isolation, it was early days yet. But they even a single step forward was progress nonetheless. When the last episode was finished airing, ending with its opening, and the frog musician spinning out of sight as the screen faded to black, the two viewers let out a sigh of contentment. And then Adrien checked his phone, he needed to head to his room so he could break out for patrol.

“I should head to bed,” Adrien apologized as he stood from the couch.

“Of course,” Nathalie replied easily, “Goodnight Adrien,”

“Goodnight Nathalie,” he slipped out of the room and Nathalie leaned back, tilting her head until it was able to view the surroundings behind her.

“So,” she said as she closed her eyes, “How long have you been standing there?”

“Since they were digging a skeleton out of the ground as corporeal punishment,” Gabriel admitted as he retreated from the shadows and into the light of the TV.

“You could have come and sat with us you know,” Nathalie brought her head back up and stretched to work out the kinks that came from sitting for so long.

“And admit I may actually  _ want _ to spend time with my son?” Gabriel raised a brow, “What would that do to my reputation?”

“Perish the thought,” Nathalie replied, tone equally as sarcastic, “Though I think you might have ruined it already with that public appearance at your own damn fashion show. Not to mention the very public display of affection you bestowed upon Adrien.”

“Besides,” Gabriel added, “He seemed to enjoy spending the time with just you. Something you both enjoyed.”

“I doubt any teenage boy wants to spend personal time with his father’s personal assistant when there’s literally anything else he could be doing,” Nathalie parried, “Like spending time with friends, or…” she trailed off, thinking of her own teenage years, “Well, other things anyways.”

“Something you’d like to share with the class Nathalie?” Gabriel asked as he took a seat beside her.

“Not at all sir,” she replied, turning her body to face him.

“Such a shame,” Gabriel remarked with a note of humor in his voice. Then his expression turned pensive, “Adrien has been acting strange lately,”

“How do you mean?”

“First the thing with that school unit of his and then later that night he asked a strange question,”

“Strange how?”

“He asked me… if I hadn’t met- if circumstances were different if I might have ended up with you.”

“Huh,” Nathalie responded noncommittally, trying to slow the beating of her heart and quash her emotions before he could pick up on them. He had the miraculous on him at all times, it wouldn’t be difficult to sense what she was feeling when he was right next to her, “That is strange. Did he say what brought it on?”

“I didn’t think to ask,” Gabriel admitted, “I mean, I was just so taken aback by the question.”

“Do you think it that ludicrous, the idea of us ever being anything more than we are?” Nathalie asked, trying as hard as she could to keep the hurt out of her voice. Now was  _ not _ the time to be weak.

“Aren’t we already?” Gabriel asked, “You’re the closest thing I have to a friend right now. You’re the person I trust most in the world, I would call that a bit more than boss and subordinate, wouldn’t you?”

Nathalie took in a slightly shuddery breath before she parried with, “That wasn’t the question though, was it?”

He was silent. For a long time they simply sat there, the tension between them building as she waited on an answer a part of her knew he would never give. Eventually, she broke.

“I’m sorry sir,” she apologized, “That was over the line, forgive me-”

“It isn’t as though I’ve never thought about it,” he answered quietly, “Or that I’ve never noticed you in that way before. There are a metric ton of lenses I could look at you through and you would surprise me with just how incredible you are in every one. I’ve looked at you through the eyes of an employer, noticing how capable and competent you are, practically able to run the company on your own without any need for me. I’ve noticed you through the eyes of a designer -in case you missed the fact that you were the first thing I put into my book of inspiration while I was akumatized. Honestly I mistook you for a model when you first walked in to your interview all those years ago. And naturally, I’ve noticed you as a man, but there’s Emilie.”

“There’s always been Emilie,” Nathalie reminded him softly.

“Need I remind you though she was married to me she was by no means as straightlaced as people liked to think. When I remember the time she asked me if I thought you might be interested in-” he cut himself off.

“What?” Nathalie prodded, “Interested in what?”

“Something that undoubtedly would have wholly ruined our working relationship,” Gabriel shook his head, “And now, she’s here, but she isn’t. But I can’t give up, not when I know there’s still a chance I could succeed. And in the meantime, no matter how lonely the nights get, no matter how much I ache to hold her, anyone, again… I could never betray her.”

“I could never ask you to,” Nathalie responded just as quietly, “I know how you feel about it sir, I don’t approve of how you’re going about it, or all the secrets you have to keep in order to keep doing this, but I understand it. Anyways, it doesn’t matter, there’s nothing except aesthetic attraction. I think you’re incredibly handsome, but I could never…” Nathalie trailed off, “Well, you know what I mean.”

“I know,” Gabriel nodded. He heaved himself to his feet then turned and offered a hand to her. When she was on her feet he slowly let her hand go with a, “Goodnight Nathalie,”

“Goodnight, sir,”

MLB

Her boss was distracted, of that she was certain. What exactly it  _ was _ Gabriel was distracted by however, Nathalie didn’t know. And it wrankled her. Normally he was incredibly easy to read when he was distracted. Then again that might have been because usually whenever he was distracted it was because he sensed a new champion for his cause. Or he was frustrated with his muse. That was the spectrum of answers for his distraction. Nothing else. And yet, he was. She knew, because she would monitor documents on her computer that he had access to and was supposed to be working on. And she would watch as for up to an hour the cursor would sit there blinking. Which meant he had the document open, but whatever he was doing at his podium was not what he was supposed to be doing. And yet, whenever she asked or tried to look, he would lock her out and clam up.

Nathalie didn’t like secrets, she felt this family kept too many of them. And Gabriel most of all. Whatever he was in the middle of planning, it couldn’t have been good. He was way too happy about it for it to be good. There were hints, here and there. Sometimes she would stand outside the office while he argued with someone.

“No, no, almost off would look better… Yes, yes I’m positive… You wanted the feedback… No, no, let me see, yes, yes it’s coming along nicely… No, a full skirt is too passe, try adding a slit.”

So on and so forth would it go. And yet, the moment she entered the room he would immediately end the call and pretend he’d been doing something else. Adrien was acting weird too, he seemed incredibly excited for something, and she couldn’t understand what. It wasn’t until Marinette showed up with a large parcel in hand on the doorstep that she had an inkling as to why. As soon as she arrived Gabriel, Adrien and her sequestered themselves in the office and Nathalie was given the rest of the evening off. Well now, wasn’t this suspicious?

Nathalie shrugged, if they wanted to keep her out of it, then they would. Except just as she got settled down and settled in with a trashy romance novel to keep the mind numbing boredom away, she received a call. From Gabriel, no less.

Heaving a sigh she picked up, “What is it sir?” she asked.

“I might have been a bit hasty in letting you have the afternoon off,” he didn’t even have the graciousness to sound the slightest bit sheepish, “Can you come back down to the office?”

Sighing again Nathalie tossed the paperback to the side, rolled out of her bed, and padded downstairs. The office door was still closed, so she knocked.

“Enter,” Gabriel replied.

She opened the door and walked in to find a dress form adorned with what was quite possibly one of the most beautiful dresses she’d ever seen. It was a deep blue, and was that crushed velvet it was made of? Long, with a high slit on the left side, and long-sleeved, though to make up for it the neckline was squared and the sleeves themselves only began at the very edge of her shoulders. To help support it there was a border of blue beads that seemed to float independent from the neckline itself, but the shape made it clear it was not some afterthought of accessory. And then, to top it all off, there was silvery embroidery along the hem, one that swirled into the outline of a butterfly. Nathalie’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Surprise!” Adrien exclaimed.

“What?” Nathalie replied, still dazed with just how gorgeous the gown was.

“It’s for you,” Marinette explained, “Adrien commissioned it, and Mr. Agreste helped me design it. It was a collaborative effort, and it’s all for you.”

“This dress, it’s for me?” Nathalie couldn’t believe it. Something so well crafted, with two immensely talented designers having worked on it, it couldn’t be hers.

“Yes,” Adrien jumped in, “I wanted to thank you, for everything you do for us, and you mentioned always having liked dresses so… here you go.”

“I, I don’t know what to say, it’s so…” Nathalie couldn’t speak, between the beauty and thoughtfulness of the gift it was almost too much.

“So don’t say anything,” Gabriel advised, “The look on your face is thanks enough.”

She blushed, “It’s the most wonderful thing I’m ever likely to own. And to think, I have the first collaboration piece from the biggest and soon to be biggest names in fashion. Simply incredible.”

“Well, don’t just stand there,” Adrien urged, “Try it on!”

“What, now?”

“I do need to make sure the dress hangs right,” Marinette admitted, “Mister Agreste helped with making sure the figure matched the measurements, but without a live model…” she shrugged.

“Um… okay,” Nathalie acquiesced. Adrien and Gabriel left the room while Marinette stayed behind to help Nathalie dress. And here came the downside, such things needed to be poked and prodded and pressed and smoothed and it was a lot of hands all over her body. But thankfully, the dress seemed to hang right without needing too much adjustment. Nathalie couldn’t help feeling like a princess, even if in her bare feet the skirt was just a tad too long.

The men came back into the room. Adrien immediately began to gush about how amazing Nathalie looked and what a great job Marinette had done with his father’s direction. Gabriel simply stared at her with an inscrutable expression. Nathalie felt the heat rise to her face.

“It’s perfect,” he declared, “Just as I knew it would be.”

Nathalie ducked her head, sending loose tendrils of hair spilling over her shoulders, “Thank you for the thoughtful gift, sir.” she said quietly.

“You do a lot for my family Nathalie,” he replied, “This is probably one of the least I can do.”

“As incredible as it is, and as grateful as I am to have it, I can’t see what I can do with this except let it sit in my closet.”

“You two should go on a date!” Marinette chimed in.

The adults immediately looked over at the young designer. She instantly turned bashful, “I mean…” she began to trip over her words, “It’s such a nice dress, it’s meant to be seen. You might as well go out in it.”

“That’s a great idea Marinette,” Adrien agreed, “Father is always dressed to the nines anyways. You two should go out and show off the dress.”

“Adrien,” Gabriel began, “I don’t think-”

“You haven’t been out since the fashion show,” Adrien argued, “It’s about time, don’t you think? It doesn’t have to be super public, we have the money, we can just rent a place out for the evening.”

“Those things usually require forethought and planning,” Nathalie tried to interject.

“Oh really?” Adrien raised a brow. Pulling out his cellphone he immediately dialed a number, “Hello? Mayor Bourgeois?... Ah yes, it’s Adrien. … No, no, I don’t need to speak to Chloe. Actually, I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you?... Could you perhaps clear out a room? Father collaborated to make this absolutely spectacular gown that just demands to be shown off. But you know how he is around crowds… Really? Only twenty minutes? Sounds perfect, thank you Mayor Bourgeois…. Yes, I’ll be sure to do that… Alright, goodnight.”

He hung up and looked smugly at the pair, “Mayor Bourgeois is making certain there is a luxury suite ready and waiting for you. It should be ready for you guys in twenty minutes. So, I guess that settles it; you guys are going on a date.”

“No, no, no,” Gabriel and Nathalie shook their heads, “Absolutely not.”

MLB

“Have fun on your date!” the two teens waved as the car -with Gabriel and Nathalie in it- began pulling away.

“How on earth did we get roped into this?” Gabriel turned and looked at Nathalie. Nathalie now had her hair artfully arranged and her makeup touched up. She looked just as bewildered as he had.

“I have no idea,” she eventually answered with a shake of her head, “I just wish they’d stop calling it a date.”

“The idea that abhorrent to you?” Gabriel asked.

“It’s not abhorrent,” Nathalie replied, “I just hate being shoehorned into a situation like this with everyone else placing romantic connotations on it. If you personally had asked me on a date I’m sure it would be very different.” immediately she reddened, “Not that you would ask me out on a date, it’s just-”

“I get the direction you were going in,” Gabriel answered, “Though I have to admit I’ve never known you to be so easily flustered Nathalie,”

“I’m still human sir,” Nathalie responded, “I get nervous, and scared, and angry just like anyone else. The only difference is that I know when to let those emotions out and when to keep them in.”

“Such as?”

“Whenever I’m around you I remain calm, because I don’t want to end up as another of your broken pawns.”

“I consider you a friend, and you really think I’d take advantage of you like that?” Gabriel asked.

“You’ve done a lot of heinous things since Emilie…” she trailed off, “And just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, someone will always be there to hand you a shovel. I want to believe you wouldn’t, but I just can’t trust in you enough to let myself be vulnerable like that,” it was the truth, but not all of it. The other reason was that she didn’t want him to discover the true depth of her emotions concerning him, “But, well, we’re already going out, might as well enjoy the night. Right?”

“I’m not sure I can,” Gabriel replied, “I hate being forced into situations like this about as much as you do. I’d rather be at home,”

“So sorry you’ve been forced to stop being a villain for one evening sir,” Nathalie retorted before she could help herself.

“Is this what you’re like when not on the clock?” Gabriel asked her, “Have I really worked with you all these years without ever truly knowing you?”

“You never made the effort, sir,” Nathalie answered, “And I could never cross that boundary myself. I value your employ, and my job, and our working relationship. I’d never do anything to jeopardize it,” which was why she had kept her feelings a secret and had every intention of continuing to do so.

“Well,” Gabriel sighed, “I suppose we  _ are _ already in this situation. I’m not masochistic enough to turn a simple evening with a friend into a funeral dirge.”

“Thank you ever so much for the kind words, sir,” Nathalie retorted, “I’ll keep them close to my heart so that they might warm me on gloomy days.”

“You have a lot of sass hidden behind your professional exterior, don’t you?” Gabriel raised a brow at her.

Instantly Nathalie remembered her place, “Apologies sir,” she quickly demurred, “I didn’t mean to speak in such a manner,”

“We’re not boss and subordinate right now Nathalie,” he reminded her, “You can be honest with me. I trust you not to take it too far.”

“I,” Nathalie swallowed and nodded, “Thank you sir, for trusting me that much,”

“And one more thing,” he added as they pulled up to the Grand Paris, “Sir is for working hours. Right now, you can call me by my name.”

“Yes si-” she quickly corrected her tongue as he helped her out of the vehicle, “Yes Gabriel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment and let me know what you guys thought. Thanks again and I'll see you guys next time


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I had some, feelings after the events of Malediktator, and frozer but we're not going to address them here. Mostly anyways, but just for the sake of having it said, Spoilers for Malediktator if you haven't already seen it. Nothing too detailed, but just in case. Anyways, enjoy everyone!

It was a private suite they had been granted. Dinner for two was ready and waiting for them. Gabriel, ever the gentleman, pulled out her chair and allowed her to sit down. The meal was good, Andre only acquired the best to work for him after all, but the conversation was lackluster. It was so hard to speak to someone who held your future in their hands. Nathalie wasn’t one for words, she preferred taking orders and doing her work in silence. Idle chit chat never held much appeal for her.

“This is awkward, isn’t it?” she finally asked after pushing the remains of her meal around on her plate with her fork for the last five minutes, “The kids really shouldn’t have wrangled us into this outing. I’m sure there would have come another occasion to wear the dress-”

“I never enjoyed fancy dinners,” Gabriel tossed his napkin to the side, “The luxury of being able to afford them? Sure, but the ambience, the atmosphere, I don’t care for useless trappings. I’d much rather pay someone to cook for me at home.”

“I prefer a home-cooked meal to most fancy ones too,” Nathalie agreed, “Though…”

“Though what?”

“If I weren’t wearing this dress I’d say to skip the pretensions altogether and go out for fast food. Every now and again it’s good to be unhealthy.”

“You’ll ruin your figure,” Gabriel protested.

Nathalie scoffed, “So? Who cares? I’m not a model, and neither are you. One meal from a quick-service restaurant isn’t going to make you that much fatter.”

“So what?” Gabriel raised a brow at her, “You’re saying we, two of the most recognizable people in Paris, should skip out of a fancy meal which we did in fact,  _ just eat _ , and get greasy, fattening fast food?”

“We could get a pizza, if you’d prefer,” Nathalie shrugged.

“And wine?”

“Why not?”

Gabriel sat there, staring at her.

MLB

They ended up sequestering themselves in Gabriel’s personal wing of the house. One bottle of expensive chardonnay was already empty, as was a large pizza box. Three more of units of both wine and pizza were sitting in the suite’s parlor while Gabriel and Nathalie were drunkenly laughing about something they wouldn’t be able to remember in the morning (wine had been sent in with their earlier dinner at the Grand Paris).

They were well and truly buzzed, and very much on their way to being blackout drunk. Both of them knew it was a bad idea to continue, but partially drunk meant that the part of them which was responsible for making good decisions was just a tiny voice against the buzzing well of liquor. Everything was funny, and they couldn’t get drunk enough, even as they slid greasy pizza down their throats.

“I’m bored!” Nathalie whined, kicking her legs out from under her.

The dress lay thrown over the back of one of the chairs, and Gabriel had given her an old shirt and set of sleeping pants to borrow in the interim. Despite the fact that her room was quite literally just down the hall, and she likely would have been able to get her own even in her inebriated state without waking anyone.

“What do you want me to do about it?” Gabriel raised a brow at her from where he lay reclining on the parlor’s sofa. He’d installed a TV in here as well as in his bedroom, wanting to be able to have the magic distraction box wherever he’d moped for those first few months about a year ago. He almost sounded sober, were it not for the wine glass which wavered precariously in his hand as he continued endlessly swirling the liquid around. 

“I dunno,” Nathalie slurred, “Hey! Don’t you have streaming on this thing?” she pointed to the television, which was on, but muted and mostly just provided them with something pretty to look at in the low lighting, “Let’s watch a movie!”

“Don’t we do that enough?” Gabriel groaned, downing his glass in one take and blearily looking about for the next bottle to refill it.

“You can never have enough movies checked off your watch list,” Nathalie argued, “Come on!”

“Fine,” Gabriel sighed, “What should we watch?”

Nathalie blinked, she hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. So she grabbed for the remote and opened the streaming service, only to quickly get annoyed as every movie Gabriel saw he vetoed.

“No, no, definitely not, no, no-”

“That’s enough!” she burst out with, “You don’t get to say no anymore, and if you do I’m picking the worst movie you could sit through.” she pulled up another movie and was perusing the synopsis when she heard it,

“Absolutely not.”

She growled and then entered the name of the movie she’d heretofore refrained from looking at. It was practically tailormade for women, and was unapologetically female. Gabriel surely wouldn’t be able to stomach it, and Nathalie could enjoy both the film and his discomfort. The opening number started and before long the movie was well underway. Nathalie kept glancing at him out the corner of her eye and noticed that he seemed determined to keep the corners of his mouth turned down in a frown. Which made Nathalie pause, was he- was he actually  _ enjoying _ the movie? No, no, Gabriel Agreste enjoyed two things; designing and being Hawkmoth. Sappy movies were not one of them.

But by the time one of the most infectious songs came on both of them were unabashedly singing along. They laughed drunkenly, dancing about as though there wasn’t a thing to worry about. Maybe it was the alcohol, more than likely it was the alcohol. They giggled and sang and danced their way through the entire film. By the time it was over they were curled up together like a teenage couple. They were still laying together by the time the credits finished rolling, and yet even as the screen returned to normal neither of them had the strength nor desire to get up and separate. Nathalie, even as drunk as she was, wasn’t deluding herself. She knew that this meant nothing. Gabriel was still as solely concerned with Emilie as he had ever been. But maybe he’d missed having someone to hold, and he was more vulnerable while drunk than he was normally. So he would allow himself this weakness, for now. And Nathalie herself? She was just selfish enough to remain complacent, only going to get up if he ordered her to.

Somehow, she couldn’t have explained it if she were asked, they ended up kissing. Kissing which quickly devolved into full on adolescent making out. He was good at that, a perk of being with a designer, they were incredibly good with their hands. It was until Nathalie let out a small mewl that he stopped. And as she looked into his eyes she saw the realization of what he was doing fully light within them. It wasn’t as though they hadn’t shared an embrace before, when they had first faced the hopelessness of Emilie’s fate they had clung to each other, not for any romance or intense emotion, but because it had felt like everything was falling apart and by holding someone near it kept the entire world from collapsing around them. Just a month ago she had embraced him once again when he had temporarily given up, utterly defeated and concerned for the safety of his child. Nathalie had been there for him. But they had never kissed before this evening. She had never had enough courage, he had never acted on any desire he might have possessed.

To his credit, he was considerate enough to push her away gently. Nathalie felt the pang in her heart all the same. She knew, of course. She had always known. She wasn’t enough, she would never be enough. Not with the existence of a way to fix everything. Nathalie wasn’t enough, Adrien wasn’t enough. Nathalie doubted even Emilie herself wouldn’t be enough to stop him. Had she been here, well, Nathalie liked to believe that she wouldn’t have wanted him to do all this. But really, how well did she know her employer’s wife?

Nathalie stumbled to her feet. Gabriel continued to lay there, arm over his eyes as though he had committed an act of treason. In his eyes, he likely had. The logical side of her brain told her to say something, to apologize for letting him get this far. For allowing the line that defined their relationship to be blurred by too much liquor. But it was more than that, it was the proximity, the easy friendship she had foolishly allowed to develop between them, and Adrien’s own meddling. The dress, the call for a date, it was all too much. Adrien was -whether he realized it or not- looking for a surrogate in her. He wanted his father to be happy, and he seemed to think Nathalie could do that. But Adrien didn’t know his father like she did, and unless he stopped reaching for Emilie’s ghost, he would never allow himself to look for any other form of happiness. So, Nathalie did the only thing she could do, she retreated to her her room and locked herself inside.

MLB

Shortly thereafter, things remained awkward between them. It was even starting to permeate their professional relationship. Sure, on the surface everything seemed normal, but Nathalie was no fool. She noticed the sort of distance he was putting between them. He didn’t trust her as much anymore. So she made it a point to act as though she couldn’t remember the events of that night after the beginning of the movie. She had been in a blackout, and she was a pretty convincing liar. Adrien returned home late that night, looking somewhat dazed.

“Adrien?” Nathalie asked, “What’s wrong?”

He looked surprised, as though sometimes it was too easy to forget she still lived here, “It’s nothing Nathalie,” Adrien replied, “Just, a little foggy right now.”

“Why?”

“I got caught at the school when Malediktator attacked,” Adrien replied, “He put us under some sort of trance, even with the cure I guess I’m still trying to recover from it.”

“Is that all?” Nathalie asked. She knew, thanks to her tight control of Adrien’s schedule, this wasn’t the first time he’d been caught under an akuma’s allure. But this was the first time he seemed to be suffering ill-effects from it.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you seem to be upset about something else. I’m not saying you have to share it with me, but,” she looked helplessly to the door of Gabriel’s office, shut as it always was, “I can be here for you if you need me.”

“Thanks Nathalie,” Adrien smiled, weaker than his genuine one, but not as plastic as his model one either, “I just… I got a little upset at school today, that’s all.”

“And why did you get upset? I thought you liked going to school,”

They took a seat in the dining room, Adrien in his usual spot and Nathalie taking the one to his left.

“It was just… Chloe had decided to move to New York after being laughed at in class today, and everyone was throwing a party to celebrate her being gone. Even Marinette said that she was useless and well…”

“So, did you leave the party?” Nathalie asked.

“What?” Adrien looked as though he hadn’t considered that, “No, why would I have?”

“Adrien,” she sighed, “If the party upset you that much you could have called, or locked yourself in the bathroom, or anything besides sit and sulk which is what I’m assuming you did since you didn’t leave.”

“But-”

“Adrien, you have to understand,” Nathalie continued, cutting off his protest with a hand, “Not everyone is going to get along with everyone. And you’ve told me the stories of how Chloe acts in the school. You’ve never liked her behavior, but you’re letting the fact that you’ve been friends for so long blind you. I’m not saying you need to pick between Chloe and your other friends, but you also can’t discount how your friends feel because it upsets you. Chloe is, by and large, a bully to the other students in your class, in your school. She demeans and demands, and her own father ot akumatized by kowtowing to her whims all the time. She is a spoiled brat, I’m not saying there isn’t time for growth, but her environment was the perfect breeding grounds for the type of person she’s become. And… let me put it this way; what if it were someone you  _ hadn’t _ been friends with acting this way to your friends? What if, after all the abuse and attempts to stop them, the bully was finally sent packing and you and your friends no longer had to suffer? Would you be feeling the same way you are now? Or would you be feeling as much relief as your friends were?”

“I…” Adrien trailed off, “I don’t know.”

“You’d probably feel relieved that you no longer had to deal with it. I’m not saying your feelings don’t matter, nor am I saying the feelings of your friends don’t matter. One is not more valid than the other. But, while you might not approve of the way your friends and classmates chose to express that relief, you have to understand and empathize with their feelings. They have every right to feel happiness that their tormentor was gone, even briefly. And if you ever find yourself in a situation where you don’t agree with the feelings of those around you, I expect you to do the mature thing and remove yourself from it. If the people you say are really your friends, they’ll understand your feelings as well.”

“That’s, that’s actually really good advice Nathalie,” Adrien answered, “I never thought of it that way before.”

“In a way,” Nathalie sighed with the admission, “You’re just as bad as she is.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, your fathers both spoil you with material objects as a way to bond with you rather than,  _ actually _ bonding with you. Chloe is worse, because her father is in a position of political power that he’s not afraid to abuse if it means making his little princess happy. But you can act just as spoiled and entitled as she does.”

“I’ve never-” Adrien trailed off as he really thought about it.

Had he not threatened to give up being Chat Noir because he felt like he wasn’t being included? Despite knowing that Ladybug was only purposefully keeping her mouth shut on the orders of the Guardian. Especially now that he  _ knew _ it was Master Fu himself who had asked Ladybug not to say anything, and had all but ordered her to remain mum. Adrien knew that trope, he had to, he’d spent a lifetime cooped up with nothing but the internet and scheduled activities for company. He knew superheroes often had quandaries like this, the key was to remain strong and steadfast. Had that not been selfish and entitled of him, to demand more of Ladybug than she was allowed to give?

He sighed, “Maybe you have a point,”

“I’ve known you for too long,” Nathalie parried, “Of course I have a point. I’m not saying that you always need to be selfless Adrien. Being selfish sometimes is just part of being human. And if you’re too selfless, people will take advantage of you. The best thing to do is find a balance, if you feel uncomfortable, let your friends know and then leave. Allow them to express their emotions and they’ll allow you to express yours. Try to be selfish enough to have confidence in what you want, but be selfless enough to allow for the autonomy of others. I know about your crush on Ladybug, but if she cannot be with you, you can’t act as though you alone are more entitled to her than anyone else in Paris. Because here’s the thing, Ladybug might be a person beneath that mask, but she’s also partially a construct. A mask in and of herself, she is who she needs to be to keep Paris safe, and if that means hiding parts of herself, and keeping people at a distance, then you have to accept her feelings on the matter.”

“You make it sound like I’ve already been rejected,” Adrien sighed.

“I’m more surprised you haven’t confessed yet,” Nathalie mused, “Then again Ladybug isn’t at anyone’s beck and call. Do you feel a little better now that we’ve talked?”

“I guess I do,” Adrien admitted, “I’m still upset with how everything went down,”

“Then  _ talk _ to them Adrien,” Nathalie repeated, “No relationship can work without communication. Even your father has to communicate with me.”

“Right,” Adrien nodded, “I’ll go text them right now. Thanks Nathalie,” he stood from his chair and bounded up to his room.

Nathalie watched him go with a sigh. Communication was key was it? Now, if only she could find a way to heed her own advice. Oh well, she stood and made sure both chairs were pushed in. the workday was a bust by now, but she had remained trying to keep her mind off how foolish that night had been. But she wasn’t brave enough to confront her boss, he didn’t want to remember it, and truthfully neither did she. He had said he found her attractive, but he could never betray his wife. Nathalie had told him she would never want him to do that, and she meant it. So, she would start her search, find a space of her own and move in. She was done waiting for the work to be done on her own apartment, and even if it cost her to break the lease, it would be worth it to get away from here. Nathalie needed to be on her own again, with nothing and no one to tie her down. She’d already lost her heart to this family, she wouldn’t let them take away her freedom if she could help it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment, they make my day. Thank you for reading and I'll see you all next time


	6. Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look on things from Gabriel's point of view

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this took a while, didn't it? I have to say, part of the reason it did was because... well there were certain events which just meant I couldn't look at this story without sighing in frustration, despair, or a mixture of the two. So that being said, here we are. And let me clarify right here, and right now, this is the end. There will be no more chapters after this, I am emotionally done with the story and I feel it is stopping in a place that narratively I am content with. It's not the longest ending to a story, but I feel it is what the story needed. I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for sticking around.

Reckless. That was the only way to describe it. Reckless. That had been what she had done; something reckless. He’d found her collapsed in his lair after managing to escape, a fit of coughing close to consuming her. By the time he brought her out of the darkness, the shivering had stopped the the cough had almost ceased. But she was weak, so weak. He felt weak too, apparently using Catalyst’s power to multiply his own hadn’t come without its own cost. But he was used to the drain such activities took on him and his Kwami. Nathalie was not. The drain had used up all of the akuma’s dark energy, she’d transferred Catalyst’s power into the feather Mayura used. When she released it, it had dispersed entirely. All that had been left was Nathalie. Duusu had very quickly made herself scarce, Gabriel wasn’t even sure if he’d seen her, if he had he didn’t recall her being anything more than a monochromatic blur on the edge of his vision which had tunneled to focus only on his assistant.

He’d warned her. He’d  _ warned _ her. So many times, she’d offered since he first began this. Let her help, she could be of as much use to him here as she was in his normal life. He’d ordered her, never use that miraculous. He couldn’t let what happened before happen again. But she’d defied him, Nathalie  _ never _ defied him. And why? To save him, purely to save him. She’d helped plan this whole thing, allowed herself to be akumatized, and then in order to help protect him, she’d deliberately disobeyed. All because she wanted to help him, no matter the cost to herself or to anyone.

Gabriel couldn’t help but feel touched. He was angered, but touched. How many other people would be willing to go as far as Nathalie had gone for him? Gabriel didn’t know, and he didn’t want to risk having to find out. And yet, the inborn terror, the fear and sadness that had filled him when Mayura’s voice filled his head… coupled with the image of the strong and stalwart Nathalie reduced to an almost infantile state, Gabriel could’t name the fierce desire and emotion that beat behind his breast in time with his heart. So all he could do was say thank you, and place his hand on hers.

A part of him, a part far more drunk after he sent her home with the instruction not to return to work for at least a few days so she could recuperate, mused on this new development. After everything that had happened, including that wonderful mistake of a kiss, she had stayed by his side; relatively speaking anyways. Returning to an apartment of her own was certainly within her prerogative, but he had never thought her loyalty was so strong that she would do  _ this _ . She had risked her life, for him. And this morose, reflective part of him was angered at that fact. He wanted to tear his hair out and scream. He wasn’t worth her life, he wasn’t worth  _ anyone’s _ life! And yet the people he cared the most about were constantly put in harm’s way due to him. But, he couldn’t give up. He just couldn’t.

“Master?” Nooroo dared come from wherever it was he hid when he felt his master needed some time to himself.

“Another failure Nooroo,” he murmured to himself, “So close and yet, still so far…”

“Master,” the Kwami’s voice was concerned, despite how terrible their dynamic and situation was it was completely possible that the tiny god cared for the mortal. Then again Nooroo understood better than anyone Gabriel’s motivations, “Why?”

“Why what?” Gabriel sighed, “Why the army? I thought that it would be the best opportunity. Bring back enough villains and the heroes would fall. Not even magic is enough to withstand numbers, especially when the heroes would never be willing to kill the innocent civilians of Paris. We came so close,”

“You did,” Nooroo allowed, floating silently, “But I wasn’t asking about that,”

“What were you asking about then?”

“Duusu,” Nooroo hesitated, “You let her keep Duusu, you know how dangerous it is for her to be used like this and yet… why?”

“I didn’t want her to,” Gabriel admitted, “I’m sure even you felt how distraught I was when that feather landed in the cane. I warned her, I  _ ordered _ her never to use that miraculous. But she disobeyed, to save me.”

“She cares for you,” Nooroo remarked.

“She’s a loyal assistant,” Gabriel sighed, “My most loyal supporter. She’s always been that way, even before…” he didn’t want to think back on the past, not now, when the wound of his failure was fresh and bleeding, “And she knows the risks. If she chooses to continue… I can’t say I like it, but with all the heroes running around Paris, my Akumas are going to need all the help they can get.”

“If you care for her so much why are you willing to let her do this to herself?” Nooroo asked, “Why are you going to let both her and Duusu suffer so much?”

“Nathalie’s a grown woman,” Gabriel growled drunkenly, “Who am I to tell her what she can and cannot do?”

“You’re her boss,” Nooroo reminded, “And you’re someone she respects, deeply. Someone she-” the Kwami paused, hesitating. He wanted his master to see that he didn’t need to keep holding onto the past. To keep holding on to Emilie. But… Emilie wasn’t gone yet, not in a way humans could truly understand. Even he didn’t know if her body was trying to heal itself beneath the depths of that endless sleep.

Besides, Nathalie should be allowed to express her feelings to him herself, on her own time. Nooroo might have begrudged his lot in life at the moment, but everyone deserved to have their feelings respected. If only Gabriel would learn that lesson. And so, he finished with, “Respects, more than anyone.”

“Nooroo,” Gabriel replied, “If, no,  _ when _ I succeed my wish will change the past. There will be no more need for Hawkmoth, no need for Mayura, no need for any of this to have ever occurred in the eyes of the Parisians. If Ladybug and Chat Noir remain unaffected, I will give them both their jewels, and yours, and Duusu’s, and have them returned to the Guardian.

A feeling akin to a swiftly beating heart fluttered within Nooroo’s chest, “Master, truly?” he would never dare to hope. On the one hand, Tikki and Plagg  _ couldn’t _ fall into his master’s hands. But on the other… his wish was unselfishly selfish. He just wanted the woman he loved back. Still, how many tales were there of normal men who received immense power, but yearned for more? Seeking to do good but ultimately being consumed by the power they had and the desire for the power they sought? How often over the centuries were similar promises made and broken? If I just get my one wish, I’ll give it up, I won’t need anything else. But there was always something else to be needed, wanted, coveted. Gabriel had already proven that the power of the one miraculous he already had was too much. He had promised that he was giving it all up, he had been a broken man. Nooroo wasn’t one for schadenfreude, but he’d never been happier to see someone so disheartened, nor had he ever been happier to have been renounced.

“What use is there for Hawkmoth if I have Emilie?” Gabriel waxed philosophical while nursing a newly refilled glass of liquor.

Nooroo wanted to counter with, “What use is there for Hawkmoth when you have Nathalie?” but refrained. Drunk or sober, his master didn’t like to think about the precise nature of his relationship with his right hand and how it may or may not have changed over the duration since Emilie’s had fallen into her present circumstances. Instead, the Kwami merely sighed, staying near his wielder and hoping the man wouldn’t get so drunk it became problematic.

MLB

Gabriel woke the next morning with a throbbing headache. He’d drunk too much, but not enough keep him in bed the whole day. What a shame. With a soft groan as his body went through the motions of settling -how quickly aging had gone from the best thing to the worst- Gabriel rolled out of bed and got dressed. He felt old, after the events of yesterday. He felt old. And Nathalie felt too young, she had  _ looked _ young, and frail, and helpless. And it left a sour taste in his mouth. Nathalie had made her choice and she was dealing with the ramifications on her own time. He shouldn’t be concerned anymore. It was none of his business what she did.

Over and over he told himself this. That didn’t dispel his worries. And having the whole day free didn’t help. That was the biggest problem with having an assistant as capable as Nathalie; in order to allow him more time to run off as Hawkmoth she took care of all work she could do without him. It left his own load light, and often kept them several days -at least- ahead of necessity. True, there was always more work to be done, but Nathalie never got sick, and the rare occasions she did she had a fully planned itinerary ready for him. But he had ordered her to return home and rest, and threatened if she had anything for him she would be punished. His email was empty of any missives from her. And now what? After the loss he’d had to take he wasn’t feeling entirely creative. Nooroo was somehow more surly than usual, acquiescent but undeniably stubborn about something. Gabriel couldn’t understand what, since the brooch didn’t work on its own kwami. The day passed in dull monotony, and oftentimes Gabriel simply found himself staring off into space as the hours sluggishly ticked by.

Gabriel let out another long-standing sigh. He was bored, so bored. And given how badly he’d been beaten, he couldn’t find a victim willing to work for him. Paris had recovered its morale after the Heroes’ celebration, and it would be at least another day before someone got upset enough to akumatize. Even Chloe Bourgeois had a better handle on being less terrible as a human being. For the moment, anyways.

“Master?” Nooroo asked as he noticed his holder sighing again.

“What is it Nooroo?” he asked, exhaustion radiating from every facet of his body.

“Is something wrong?”

“I failed again,” Gabriel replied, “A whole army of villains and superheroes alike and I still lost. Could anything be more wrong?”

“We discussed this all last night,” Nooroo reminded him.

“And I’ll thank you not to bring it up around me again,” it was framed rather politely, but the telltale spark around Nooroo’s mouth told the Kwami it was an order he was meant to follow.

Without Nathalie around, things were quiet. And inefficient. Despite the fact that Gabriel had plenty of work and the ability to complete it, he simply didn’t have the motivation. How many people had he hurt, how many more had he put in harm’s way, how many times had he failed? The questioned weighed him down more and more and Gabriel felt unable to do anything about it. He couldn’t take the peacock away from Nathalie, he knew she would never agree to it. He needed her, Hawkmoth had needed Mayura, and even though he had promised her he wouldn’t take the risk of going outside of his lair without it being calculated in his favor once again, she had refused.

Why? What was it about the peacock miraculous? Was it even about the peacock miraculous? So many questions. So many depressing thoughts. Gabriel refused to see Adrien at all that day, though it was not for his typical reasons. People were happy, because the heroes of Paris had shown that Hawkmoth could be defeated, even if only temporarily. But the reason he didn’t see his son was because he simply couldn’t face the boy. Not when he had Emilie’s eyes, Emilie’s sweetness of soul. Gabriel had no doubt that Adrien would disapprove of what he was doing, Emilie had always done right in that regard. But he felt like he had and continued to fail his family at every turn. But the heroes, they would never understand. They were young, green, they would never be able to fathom the depth of hurt and despair losing one’s truest of loves wrought, because they were too young to understand what love really was. Gabriel loved Emilie, wasn’t that supposed to be enough? Shouldn’t that make him the hero, even though he was playing the bad guy? Love was supposed to conquer all, so why was he constantly tasting defeat?

Through his brooch Gabriel could feel Lila’s negative emotions. Of course, she would be the only one upset. She was the only one routing for him, but it wasn’t because she believed in his cause. She only liked him for the powers he could give her. She wanted to use him, but then, he was also using her. Still, even he knew it would be dangerous to akumatize her a fourth time so quickly. Her emotions were volatile. He wanted his victims angry enough to choose him, but not so angry that they wouldn’t be able to think clearly. He had learned that much at any rate.

Gabriel watched Nooroo float around listlessly. Because Adrien knew better than to bother him if Gabriel didn’t want to be bothered, and Nathalie was out sick, there was no reason to hide. Though, Nathalie knew everything, so why Nooroo chose to hide around her, he still couldn’t quite understand. The house was quiet. Too quiet. It reminded him of right after Nathalie had moved back out. Adrien had been upset,

“Why are you leaving?” he had prodded her, “Don’t you like living here?”

“Adrien,” she had said, gently taking him by the shoulders, “It isn’t about whether or not I like living here. It’s about the fact that I don’t  _ belong _ here, you understand?”

“But why?” he had asked, sounding far more childish than he had in a long time, “Aren’t you family?”

Nathalie had paused. And Gabriel had seen that though her face was carefully impassive, she was actually quite shocked to hear that he thought of her like that.

“Adrien,” her voice was warmer, it was always warmer around him, “I… I’m so thankful, and flattered that you think of me that way. But you and I, we both know that isn’t true. I can’t… I can’t keep imposing on you like this. And, to be honest with you, I need my own space.”

“Are you-” he paused a moment, “Are you leaving because of me?”

“No!” Nathalie had been quick to assure him, “It’s not because of anything you have or haven’t done Adrien. But I work here, and by living here… I have been blurring the boundary between work and personal. And, for my own health and sanity I just can’t keep doing that.”

What no one besides Nathalie herself had known at that moment was that she was already too far gone in that regard. Or that this entire move was just a pathetic attempt at making the wound sting less.

She had stopped into his office before she left with the last of her things. He didn’t feel he had the right to say anything to her. He’d kissed her. He’d blurred the line between what they were now and what they could become. He hadn’t wanted to lead her on, he was pushing the affection he wanted to express with Emilie onto her. That had to be it. She was the only other person he was even remotely close to. Whatever feelings he had for her that weren’t platonic or professional were borne of the result that Emilie was in his grasp and yet so far out of it at the same time.

“What time will you be back in?” Gabriel had asked without looking at her.

“I don’t know sir,” Nathalie had replied, “I need to unpack at least a few things if I am going to properly settle in tonight. I may not be back at all. Don’t worry, I’ll be intermittently working from home throughout the day if it comes to it, and I’ll work overtime the next few days to make up for anything else I miss.”

“Take the day off Nathalie,” Gabriel allowed it, “You need it more than I need you at present.”

“You do know how to make a girl feel special, don’t you?” she remarked dryly. And maybe his memory was obscuring what had actually happened, but had there been a faint glimmer of pain in her eyes?

Gabriel remembered the paltry attempt he had made. He hadn’t wanted her to leave, but he had no right to ask her to stay. He rarely felt guilt about anything, because he knew the ends justified all his means. But, not in her case. And that had been the line of thought behind, “You don’t have to leave, if you really don’t want to.”

She had let out a sardonic breath of laughter, “Of course I do sir,” she had replied, “You already have a family,”  _ And I’ll never be a part of it _ hung unspoken in the air.

He had wanted to tell her she was wrong. That she was as much a part of his family as Adrien was, as Emilie was. But deep down, he knew she was right. He had Adrien. He had Emilie. Nathalie had to remain a part of his working world only, if he were to ever succeed.

“Very well then,” Gabriel had said, “I’ll see you first thing tomorrow morning then.”

Ever the professional, she had her emotions buried so deeply within her even with the help of his brooch he had no idea what she was thinking. Or if she was lying when she said, “Of course sir. Have a good day.”

Had he made a mistake? Was he taking too many risks? Was he slowly morphing from  _ the _ bad guy into simply  _ a _ bad guy? Should he perhaps change his course? Break his promise, would Emilie have even  _ wanted _ him to keep it if this was what it was doing to everyone? It didn’t matter, in the end. Gabriel couldn’t afford to give up and he couldn’t afford to be nice, to anyone. Not if he wanted to succeed. If he did, he needed to be completely, utterly, heartless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this. I appreciate your feedback, so please let me know what you thought. Thanks a million and I'll see you all next time

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Thanks so much you guys! Until next time


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